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Beach Towel

Bluefin Tuna ~ Watercolor

DESCRIPTION

Lay out like a pro with this super comfy, oversized and unique artist-designed Beach Towel. The soft polyester-microfiber front and cotton terry back are perfect for, well, drying your front and back. This design is also available as a bath and hand towel. Machine washable. Towel Dimensions: 74"x37"

ABOUT THE ART

Bluefin tuna – largest member of the tuna family. Though it's rare to see the legendary giants anymore, these fish can reach 1,500lbs. The name “bluefin" can refer to several species of tuna – all of which are considered a prized catch and becoming very rare due to the grossly unsustainable rate of commercial overfishing. 80% of harvested Pacific and Atlantic bluefin is sold in Japan, where the demand for this dwindling fish has skyrocketed the price to thousands of dollars a pound.

The Atlantic bluefin (Thunnus thynnus) is an endangered species. Despite this status tens of thousands of TONS of Atlantic bluefin are still allowed to be commercially harvested every year - and illegal harvest adds a significant amount to the toll. When the quota was set for 40k tons to be taken in 2007 they estimate that commercial vessels actually took 66k tons. Scientists at the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas say that taking 8.3k tons a year would be sustainable enough for the species to recover but the quota is always set much higher.

The Pacific bluefin (Thunnus orientalis) is listed as vulnerable. Tens of thousands of tons of these fish are commercially harvested every year anyway - about 90% of them juveniles who never even had a chance to help repopulate the species.

The southern bluefin (Thunnus maccoyii) is critically endangered but yet again - thousands of tons of these fish are allowed to be commercially harvested every year - with the bulk of the catch being sold in Japan.

And then there is all the bycatch. Sea turtles. Dolphins. Sharks. Birds. Billfish. Just a portion of the long list of animals that are needlessly killed and dumped in the name of expensive sushi.

Having seafood? Please don't order the endangered species. If you can find a place in your heart to help conserve the ocean and it's creatures for future generations: don't support commercial harvest and massive-scale exploitation of this animal. Raise awareness by telling your friends about the fishies.